Petronas Floating LNG to have aeroderivative-driven compressors

GE Oil & Gas recently said it will supply its gas turbine-driven compressor train and mechanical drive technology to Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), for a second floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit being built off the coast of Sabah and Sarawak, East Malaysia.

Compression trains are used in the liquefaction process, which cools natural gas to a liquid state. GE will supply four of its PGT25+G4 gas turbine generator systems and two nitrogen trains featuring two LM6000-PF+ 2BCL907 aeroderivative gas turbines in mechanical-drive mode.

Commercial operation is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2017. Once operational in the first quarter of 2018, the second FLNG facility is expected to produce about 1.5 million tons a year (mtpa) of LNG. The latest project marked another major order with Petronas under a global frame agreement for equipment supply between the two companies, GE said.

The latest project marks another major order with Petronas under a global frame agreement for equipment supply between the two companies, GE said in a statement. GE was awarded the contract primarily because its turbomachinery “has a successful track record of supporting offshore LNG production,” it said.

Datuk Abdullah Karim, vice president and venture director, LNG Projects (Domestic), Upstream Business, Petronas said, “The development of the company’s second FLNG facility will boost our LNG production to help meet Asia’s growing energy needs. The project marks another important step as we seek to position Malaysia as a strong regional and global LNG market player.”